Handle for hospital doors or the like



Feb. 25, 1964 M. c. STEBBINS 3,121,907

HANDLE FOR HOSPITAL DOORS OR THE LIKE Filed June 6, 1961 /I6 g i o 0 FIG. 3 9/ fizvmvroa. F IG. 4 MARK C. S'raasms ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,121,907 HANDLE FQR HQislPITAL DOORS OR THE LIKE Mark C. Stehhins, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Mark C. Stehhins and Sons, lino, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed June 6, 1961, Ser. No. 115,264 8 Claims. (Cl. 16-110) This invention relates to a handle or door pull of a type especially adapted for use on doors in hospitals or the like where people such as nurses or technicians frequently have to pull doors open even though their hands are occupied with carrying such things as bedside equipment, specimens, or various kinds of apparatus.

Conventional door pulls of this type, disclosed in Rayrner 1,487,264, utilize a manual handle rigidly anchored on the door with a rigid hook projecting away from the handle into which a wrist or forearm can be inserted for pulling the door open without use of the handle. The rigid nature of the door pull makes it a hazard tending to injure or damage persons or things accidentally falling or bumping into it. This hazard is aggravated by the presence of the arm hook which projects a considerable distance outwardly from the door whether it is in use or not.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, improved door pull structure having yieldable, exposed parts all of which lie relatively close to the door when its arm pull feature is not in use.

Generally the invention contemplates a door pull in which the same handle provides both the hand pull and the arm pull. The handle has a portion which swings within an opening in a mounting plate and projects to the rear of the plate. A resilient strap fastened to the projection and the plate rear face biases the handle proper in a doorward direction. Clearance between the handle and plate opening facilitates lateral shifting of the handle on impact, and the handle relatively closely overlies the door except when it is forced outwardly by a persons forearm to provide the arm pull function. One form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a door pull according to this invention in use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the door pull.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

1G. 4 is a rear elevational View of the door pull separate from a door.

Shown in the drawings is a door pull mounted on a hospital door '12 hinged at 14. The door is biased toward the closed condition illustrated by the use of a suitable conventional door closer (not shown).

The door pull includes a mounting plate 16 having a front face 13 and a rear face 24) adapted to be secured against door '12 by such means as screws 22. extending through screw openings 24 as illustrated. Plate 16 has a rectangular opening 26 extending between the front and rear faces and having a top 28, a bottom '30, and sides 32. A handle 34 has a portion 36 projecting forwardly of plate 16 and terminating in an outwardly curved free end portion 3 8. The other end portion i0 of the handle extends through opening 26 and terminates in a projection 42 disposed rearwardly of plate 16.

Handle portion 4-0 is preferably rectangular as shown and clearance is provided between it and the top, bottom, and sides of plate opening 26 so that portion 40 can both swing vertically in the opening and shift laterally therein for a purpose to be described. A resiliently yieldable connection is provided between the plate and handle, and for this purpose a strap of rubber or the like 44 is clamped onto handle projection 42 and the rear face of 3,121,907, Patented Feb. 25, 1964 the plate by such means as screws 46 and interposed plates 48 and 49'. The strap is unstressed in straight condition so that when bent to the condition shown in FIG. 3, it biases handle 34 downwardly as the drawings are viewed to the solid line position of FIG. 3.

In use plate 16 is anchored on the front of door 12 by screws 22 with handle projection 42 and rubber strap 44 projecting into a recess 50 provided in the door. Strap i4 unges handle projection 42. upwardly and thus swings handle proper 36 downwardly until its swinging movement is limited by engagement of the top and bottom of handle portion 40 respectively with the top and bottom walls 28, 30 of recess 26. In this position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3, free end &8 lies relatively close to plate 16 but is spaced therefrom.

To open door 1-2 manually, handle portion 36 is merely grasped and pulled. The handle may swing upwardly somewhat during this procedure but when it is released, it will return downwardly under the urging of strap 44. Handle portion 36 thus functions as an ordinary manual hold.

In the event that the door must be pulled open by a nurse N or other person whose hands are occupied in carrying a bedpan or other equipment as illustrated in FIG. 1, the person merely inserts his wrist or another portion of his forearm under free end 38 of the handle and forces it upwardly. The handle swings outwardly to the dotted line position of FIG. 3 against the urging of strap 44 to accommodate the forearm as shown in FIG. 1. When the handle reaches the dotted line position of FIG. 3, the upper side of handle portion 40* engages against top 28 of plate opening 26 as illustrated to limit further upward swinging of the handle and provide a firm connection to the door to facilitate pulling it open. The person merely pulls on the handle with his forearm to open the door, and after the door is open moves his arm downwardly out of engagement 'With the handle. The handle thereupon returns to the solid line position of FIG. 3.

When the handle is not in actual use, its furthest point of projection from the door front is its intermediate portion 36 so that no part of the device projects from the door any farther than an ordinary handle normally projects. It is only when the handle is in actual use as an arm pull that it projects outwardly from the door any farther.

Strap 44 yieldably holds handle portion 40 in a generally centered position between sides 32 of plate opening 26. In the event of any impact against the handle, strap 44 yieldably permits lateral shifting of handle portion 40 within the clearance between its sides and sides 32 of the opening thereby minimizing or eliminating injury or damage to persons or things accidentally impacting against the handle. The structure is very inexpensive, requiring only a flat, apertured plate, a handle member, and a flexible rubber hinge.

I claim:

1. A hospital door pull comprising, means providing a mounting plate having a front face, a rear face adapted to be secured to a door, and an opening between said faces, means forming a handle having a portion disposed within said opening swingable within limits provided by engagement of said portion with sides of said opening, resiliently distortable interconnecting means forming a hinge and yieldably urging said handle downwardly to one of said limits whercat a free end of said handle is spaced from a door, said handle being swingable in a direction against said urging to the other of said limits to accommodate a human forearm or the like inserted under said free end whereby to facilitate opening the door by forearm pull.

2. A hospital door pull comprising, means providing a mounting plate having a front face, a rear face adapted to be secured to a door, and an opening between said faces, means forming a handle having a portion disposed within said opening swingable within limits provided by engagement of sides of said portion with sides of said opening, resiliently distortable interconnecting means yieldably urging said handle downwardly to one of said limits whereat a free end of said handle is spaced from a door, said handle being swingable in a direction against said urging to the other of said limits to accommodate a human forearm or the like inserted under said free end whereby to facilitate opening the door by forearm pull, said handle portion and opening having other sides spaced respectively apart to provide a clearance within which said handle can shift laterally, said resiliently distortable means yieldably generally centering said handle portion in said clearance whereby said handle is yieldable to accidental contact for minimizing damage or injury.

3. A hospital door pull comprising, means providing a mounting plate having a front face, a rear face adapted to be secured to a door, and an opening between said faces, means forming a handle having a portion extending rearwardly into said opening and being swingable Within limits provided by engagement of said portion with sides of said opening, means providing a resiliently flexible hinge strap hingedly interconnecting said portion and said rear face and yieldably urging said handle downwardly to one of said limits whereat a free end of said handle is spaced from a door, said handle being swingable in a direction against said urging to the other of said limits to accommodate a human forearm or the like inserted under said free end whereby to facilitate opening the door by forearm pull.

4. A hospital door pull comprising, means providing a mounting plate having a front face, a rear face adapted to be secured to a door, and an opening between said faces, means forming a handle having a portion which extends through said opening and projects to the rear of said plate, said portion being swingable within limits provided by engagement of said portion with sides of said opening, means providing a resiliently flexible hinge strap hingedly interconnecting the rearwardly projecting portion of said handle and said rear face of said plate and yieldably urging said handle downwardly to one of said limits whereat a free end of said handle is spaced from a door, said handle being swingable in a direction against said urging to the other of said limits to accommodate a human forearm or the like inserted under the free end whereby to facilitate opening the door by forearm pull.

5. A hospital door pull comprising, means providing a mounting plate having a front face, a rear face adapted to be secured to a door, and an opening between said faces, means forming a handle having a portion disposed swingably Within said opening, said plate and handle including interengaging means providing limits to swinging of said handle, resiliently distortable hinge means connected between said plate and handle adjacent said portion thereof yieldably urging said handle downwardly to one of said limits whereat a free end of said handle is spaced from a door, said handle being swingable in a direction against said urging to the other of said limits to accommodate a human forearm or the like inserted under 4- the free end whereby to facilitate opening the door by forearm pull.

6. A hospital door pull comprising, means providing a mounting plate having a front face, a rear face adapted to be secured to a door, and an opening between said faces, means forming a handle having a portion disposed swingably within said opening, said plate and handle including interengaging means providing limits to swinging of said handle, said handle having a free end, resiliently distortable interconnecting means forming a hinge and yieldably urging said handle downwardly to one of said limits whereat said free end is spaced forwardly of the general plane of said plate, said free end being swingable away from said plate against said urging to the other of said limits to accommodate a human forearm inserted under said free end whereby to facilitate opening the door by forearm pull.

7. A hospital door pull comprising, means providing a mounting plate adapted to be secured on a door, means forming a handle having a first portion disposed forwardly of said plate for manual engagement, a second portion mounted for swinging relative to said plate and exposed at the rear of said plate, resiliently distortable hinge means connected between said second portion and the plate rear yieldably urging said first portion doorwardly whereat a free end of said portion is spaced forwardly of the general plane of said plate, said handle being swingable away from the general plane of said plate against said urging to accommodate a human forearm inserted under said free end whereby to facilitate opening the door by forearm pull.

8. A hospital door pull comprising, means providing a mounting plate having a front face, a rear face adapted to be secured to a door, and a generally rectangular opening between said faces, means forming a handle having a first portion disposed forwardly of said plate for manual engagement, a second generally rectangular portion swingably disposed Within said opening, and a third portion projecting rearwardly of said rear face of said plate, means providing a resiliently flexible strap connected to said third portion and to said rear face and yieldably urging said first portion of said handle in a doorward direction, said opening and second handle portion having sides which interengage to limit doorward movement of said handle, said first handle portion being swingable away from said plate against said urging to a position limited by interengagement of sides of said opening and second portion to accommodate a human forearm inserted under said free end whereby to facilitate opening the door by forearm pull, said second handle portion and opening having other sides spaced respectively apart to provide a clearance in which said handle can shift laterally, said strap yieldably generally centering said handle portion in said clearance whereby said handle is yieldable to accidental contact for minimizing damage or injury.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,835,524 Russell May 20, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 77,829 Norway Dec. 30, 1948 

3. A HOSPITAL DOOR PULL COMPRISING, MEANS PROVIDING A MOUNTING PLATE HAVING A FRONT FACE, A REAR FACE ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO A DOOR, AND AN OPENING BETWEEN SAID FACES, MEANS FORMING A HANDLE HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING REARWARDLY INTO SAID OPENING AND BEING SWINGABLE WITHIN LIMITS PROVIDED BY ENGAGEMENT OF SAID PORTION WITH SIDES OF SAID OPENING, MEANS PROVIDING A RESILIENTLY FLEXIBLE HINGE STRAP HINGEDLY INTERCONNECTING SAID PORTION AND SAID REAR FACE AND YIELDABLY URGING SAID HANDLE DOWNWARDLY TO ONE OF SAID LIMITS WHEREAT A FREE END OF SAID HANDLE IS SPACED FROM A DOOR, SAID HANDLE BEING SWINGABLE IN A DIRECTION AGAINST SAID URGING TO THE OTHER OF SAID LIMITS TO ACCOMMODATE A HUMAN FOREARM OR THE LIKE INSERTED UNDER SAID FREE END WHEREBY TO FACILITATE OPENING THE DOOR BY FOREARM PULL. 